democracy and participation

Direct democracy

Direct democracy

a system of democracy in which the people make decisions e.g. referendums, online petitions. Votes take place on specific questions

Representative democracy

a system of democracy in which people vote for elected representatives, these elected representatives make decisions on the people's behalf

advantages of direct democracy

• People can participate directly in the decision-making process.

• The wishes of the people cannot be ignored by their elected representatives or the government.

• People can be motivated to become well-informed about political issues.

• Decisions have the direct authority of the people. This gives them greater legitimacy.

disadvantages of direct democracy

• The public may not fully understand the question they are voting on. Elected representatives might be better placed to analyse and evaluate the issue.

• Most people may vote for something that undermines the rights of a minority group. This is known as the tyranny of the majority.

• People may vote for emotional or populist short-term reasons, rather than taking a more considered view.

• Holding so many votes is slow and expensive, particularly in countries with large populations.

advantages of direct democracy

• Elected representatives have the knowledge and skill to make often difficult and complex decisions on behalf of voters.

• By being responsible for all areas of policy and decision-making, they can take a broader view of issues and balance effectively competing claims and issues. This is particularly significant when it comes to priorities for allocating spending, balancing budgets, and setting taxes.

• Belonging to a political party enables voters to have a good idea of how representatives will act once in power.

disadvantages of representative democracy

• representatives may distort peoples’ demands to suit their political preferences

• representatives may not make themselves accountable enough between elections and can only be removed by elections if they lose the respect of the people

• the electoral mandate of representatives is flawed, as voters must accept or reject a whole manifesto, not being able to make clear which parts of it they oppose, and there is more information currently for people to be able to make better decisions

• representatives also must decide whether to be ‘delegates’ for their constituents, merely putting forward their view, or using their best judgement to ‘represent’ their constituents (a concept called ‘Burkean representation’) representatives may distort peoples’ demands to suit their political preferences

representation

people's opinions are represented to the government

accountability

the government is accountable to the people, if the electorate thinks the government has done a bad job, it can vote in a different government

legitimacy

the government has legitimacy because it has been chosen by the people

rule of law

the countries laws apply equally to everyone and anyone who breaks the law is punished

smooth transition of power

there is a formal process for handing power of one government to next and this takes place peacefully

education and information

the public are politically educated and have access to accurate information from trustworthy sources

great reform act 1832

The Act was passed by the Whig government of Lord Grey. 'One in five male adults could now vote. This comprised 5.6% of the total population. It abolished rotten boroughs' such as Old Sarum. These were constituencies that had almost no voters but dutifully elected two MPs every election.

second reform act 1867

The Act was much bigger in scope than the Great Reform Act. It was passed by the Conservative government of Benjamin Disraeli. It allowed many working-class men in cities to vote, men could now vote. This doubled the size of the electorate. Roughly one-third of all.

third reform act 1884

The Act was passed by the William Gladstone's Liberal government. It established a uniform franchise across the country for men. All working men who met a property qualification could now vote. A total of 40% of adult men were still excluded, working-class men in rural counties.

representation of the people act 1918

This was a product of the social and political changes caused by the First World War. It was passed by the David Lloyd George wartime coalition government. All men over the age of 21 (or 19 for veterans) could vote. Women over 30 who met the property qualification could now vote.

representation of the people act 1928

The Act was passed by Stanley Baldwin's Conservative government. Women finally received the vote on equal terms to men. All people over 21 could now vote. Property qualifications were removed.

representation of the people act 1969

The Act was passed by Harold Wilson's Labour government. The voting age was lowered to 18.

participation

people’s involvement in political activity. It includes voting, writing to an MP, joining a political party, protesting, or signing a petition

arguments for participation crisis - turnout

Turnout in general elections has fallen in recent decades. In 1950 more than 80% of the electorate voted. In 2001 just 59% did, a record low.

arguments against participation crisis - turnout

Turnout in general elections has been rising since 2001, reaching a high of 69% in the 2017 general election. The 67% turnout in the 2019 general election was second highest since 1997.

arguments for participation crisis - party membership

Party membership has fallen since the 1950S, when the Conservatives had more than 2.5 million members and the Labour Party more than 1 million. In 2018 the Conservatives had just 124,000 members.

arguments against participation crisis - party membership

The membership of some parties has increased in recent years: Labour has over 500,000 members and the NP membership more than quadrupled following the 2014 independence referendum, reaching over 125,000 in 2019. Conservative membership numbers had climbed back to 200,000 by 2021, and the Liberal Democrats had more than 115,000 members

arguments for participation crisis - changes in participation

Partisan dealignment means that people increasingly feel no affiliation to any political party

arguments against participation crisis - changes in participation

Pressure group membership has increased, so people are participating without needing to join a political party

arguments for giving 16 year olds the vote

The 2014 Scottish independence referendum demonstrated huge engagement by 16 and 17 year olds and, according to Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, "the democratic effect turned out to be entirely positive."

arguments against giving 16 year olds the vote

16 and 17 year olds have few adult life experiences on which to base their voting decisions. Thus they are more likely to be manipulated to vote in a certain way by social media pressure.

arguments for giving prisoners the vote

It is against human rights to take away a person’s right to vote, the government is in defiance of the ECHR

arguments against giving prisoners the vote

Prisoners are regarded as having renounced the rights of citizenship for the time that they are incarcerated

arguments for compulsory voting

Voting is a civic responsibility like jury service. If citizens are not required to fulfil the duties of citizenship then the principles of civic society are undermined.

arguments against compulsory voting

Compulsory voting is based upon coercion, which is at odds with the British political system. Voting is a civic right but it is not a duty such as the payment of taxes.